Today's stuff

Well I wish I could say yesterday turned into a missed day because I was otherwise so busy I couldn't find the time.  I could say it, and it wouldn't be a big lie, just perhaps a little fib. The first day of a slide in that resolution.  Yes I have missed other days this year.  Weekends usually, the odd temper bit. Yesterday was plain and simply a thought out decision.

I manged to catch a portion of selectmen's meeting last night.  I missed the first 1/2 hour +/-.  Watched most of the Town Government Study Committee segment, and after watching bits and piece of the appointment with the auctioneer, had to flip to something else.  I have a nagging feeling I should have watched the whole thing, but I didn't.  so if there was anything worthwhile or just an aha moment, let me know. 

The Government Study Committee was interesting.  Definitely going to have an article for a Town Administrator.  Definitely going to see an article for a new and neutered version of the BPW.  Probably will see an "IT" strategy plan, and speaking of planning, there probably will be a capital planning by-law article.

There will also be a meeting for the public in April sometime to discuss and comment on the Town Administrator and presumably the BPW articles. That article by the way is going to be a deja vous all over again, amended version.

Seems last year's Town Administrator article is going to be the boilerplate for this year's article with a few changes.  Admittedly, last year's article was probably 85% of what it should have been.

One noted change, the firing clause "with or without cause" to with cause and an "appeal" type process. Definitely agree with omitting the "without cause" part of the clause. Not necessarily against the "appeal" portion.  Depends on the language and procedure outlined.  Have seen it in some place where it looked a.o.k. and in others where it looked like a job for life provision. 

Personally, for this year despite the general inclination to shake my head about one meeting to be held prior to town meeting on a yet finalized version of the proposed articles, all I am hoping for is an article I can support.

We need a Town Administrator.  We have needed one for years.  We will see a growing need for one.  

If for no other reason, just think about last night's regularly scheduled scheduling segment for future B.O.S. meetings.  Was a time the selectmen met every week.  Holiday weeks were skipped, however for the most part every week. 

Now the routine is every two weeks.  Usually.  Some extra meeting thrown in.  Decisions put off until they meet.  Put off because of agenda constraints,  need for more info, need for more time to think about it.  

Day to day operations can't run on a two week decision making process.  Neither can day to day operations see interim decisions by whoever changed modified or whatever based on essentially political reasoning (also a real good reason for chucking the without cause concept).  Not going to beat that dead horse too much.  

There is a reason well run companies, entities, organizations, and yes communities are well run, not only in good times but in bad.

The proposal for a new and neutered BPW.  Again, in general will have to wait to see the proposal.  

This will be an interesting one.  If you watched the BPW meeting with the Town Government Study Committee you have to think the BPW isn't going to go gentle into that good night. 

Based on that meeting, and the BPW justification for its existence, it will be the end of civilization as we know it, well at least as concerns the public utility/highway/parks infrastructure.  Such potential calamity has faced numerous communities across the commonwealth in the past, and the world still turns.

How the three division supers and the super super will ever function without an elected board will remain to be seen if it happens? How is anyone going to be able to do anything without those weekly exchanges of e-mails?

Keeps me awake at night wondering.

On this one let me note that compromise is truly an art form.  To practice that art you have to still know what you are doing.  What you can reshape or combine and what cannot be used or omitted. 

You want an appointed board, you want an elected board, no sweat.  You want a Town Administrator, one thing you cannot compromise on is the chain of command concept.  Neither can you have a set-up with two separate CEOs and two separate Board of Directors, especially where one of the Boards has stated publicly it is crucial that the CEO for the other Board have expertise in its areas.

When you are arguing for your independent existence, not sure saying how much you depend on your separate counterpart is the wisest argument to make.

Save your breath by the way on the School Dept. and Comm.  Yes separate, but to an extent and due to state law.  No way to change it.  If you believe that is wrong unto itself, I will say perpetuating two wrongs isn't going to make anything right.

There are some huge hurdles to be faced under the restructure if passed. This is going to be a problem whether we get a Town Administrator, stay with an Executive Secretary or anything else you want to consider.

For the first three years, solid three years, they are going to hear from far too many than they should "We never had to do that before", "Jeff always did that", "I can't do that", "I don't know how to do that".  the ultimate responses will get down to "You should have been doing it", "He shouldn't have been doing it for you", "You should be able to do it because it is part of your job", "Ditto".

The most promising aspect in town right now, believe it or not, is a BOS that actually acknowledges problems and issues and is making real attempts to deal with the same.  Not always successful, granted. But like most things, the start is better than sitting in neutral.

We don't always have to agree with them collectively or any one of them individually. If you are marking grades, you probably have your own bell curve.  Believe it or not, everyone gets high marks for effort on mine, varying grades for progress, but no one is flunking and everyone is improving, perhaps not up to full potential but improving.  As far as the grades for performance, again varies.

Collectively though, no worse than any in the past ten years, and in many aspects an improvement, and if the need and inclination strike at the same time may just be willing to bite the bait anyone wants to dangle on this one.

Keep in mind one important factor, this is still very much a rookie board.  One two term member, with two other members with less than three years combined experience.  Don't need to hear about experience on other boards, or lack of it. Despite those who would have you believe in the separate but equal board system, that other board is at very best a single "A" farm system team.

Whole different world on Center Street.  Whole different dynamic.  

There is the potential for this board to gel.  

I am not talking about unanimous lock step positions on each and every issue.  What I am talking about is a board that learns to live with the concept that at times you simply have to learn to agree to disagree as members of a board.  

That has to learn how to wear a thick skin, and that has to understand that business is business.  That means accepting the criticism where appropriate.  That means learning how to deal with each other, and in the end having the ability to accept the principal that at times, you simply have to agree to disagree on an issue, and move on to the next one with a clean slate.

I am talking about potential.  I am talking about signs of what could be.  I am also basing it on the perspective of what was, what is and again what could be. 

All opinion I know.  

All I have for today. 

Be safe.